Share this:

Brandon Jacobs is ready to roll. That doesn’t necessarily mean he will play Sunday against Buffalo – the coaches will decide Sunday morning – but he sounds like a man restless to step on the field and trample overmatched defensive players.

Jacobs took a helmet to his left knee in an exhibition game August 18 in Houston, delaying his 49ers debut. He was a full participant in practice this week, for the first time since sustaining the injury, and now he longs for the adrenaline of an actual NFL game.

His wish list actually extends beyond merely stepping on the field. Jacobs scored 56 rushing touchdowns in his seven seasons with the New York Giants, so he brings first-hand knowledge about charging into the end zone – and he’s eager to collect No. 57.

“Being in the end zone is something special – that’s like a sack for a defensive end,” Jacobs said today. “I haven’t had a chance to get there yet this year, so I’m working toward and looking forward to being able to do that.”

The 49ers signed Jacobs to beef up their short-yardage offense, and his size and power also could come in handy near the goal line. He’s a large, powerful presence at 6-foot-4 and 264 pounds.

One image to contemplate: Jacobs walked off the practice field alongside running backs coach Tom Rathman, the former 49ers’ fullback. Rathman looked downright small by comparison (he was listed at 6-1 and 230 pounds in his playing days.)

Jacobs acknowledged he savors smashing through would-be tacklers, even more than he enjoys scoring touchdowns.

“Running over a guy is more exhilarating to me, because you’re changing the way they play,” he said. “You change the way they approach you.”

The 49ers already have the No. 3-ranked rushing offense in the NFL, at 167 yards per game. That includes a season-high 245 yards on 44 carries in last Sunday’s stampede past the New York Jets, a game in which nine different players carried the ball.

So there’s not massive urgency to hurry Jacobs into the mix. He still offers a tidy complement to the all-around skills of Frank Gore and the striking quickness of Kendall Hunter.

The 49ers officially listed Jacobs as “questionable” for Sunday’s game. Coach Jim Harbaugh said it will be a game-time decision.

Jacobs is eager to join his teammates, but he’s also wary of coming back too soon. That’s essentially what happened in 2009, when he tried to play through an injury to his right knee (not the one he hurt this time). He eventually needed surgery after the season.

This week’s practices provided reason for optimism, but Jacobs knows the dynamics change on Sundays.

“I’m still thinking about it a little bit, but I’m explosive and I feel good out there,” he said. “Practice is one thing, because you’ve got no adrenaline flowing and you think about everything. You don’t think about your injury in a game.”

As Jacobs eyes his return, the 49ers embark on a stretch of three consecutive home games. They opened the season with three road games in four weeks, but they will play only one road game in the next seven weeks (including their bye).

Harbaugh compared the transition to running while wearing ankle weights – and then suddenly removing the weights.

“We’re hopeful and determined to take advantage of it,” Harbaugh said of the home games on tap. “We’ve done some hard things as it relates to travel, but you’ve still got to have that edge, that saltiness, that attitude to go fight.”